FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to surface-discharge-type
alternating-current plasma display panel apparatuses.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a
conventionalsurface-discharge-typealternating-currentplasma
display panel (hereinafter referred to as "PDP").
The PDP as shown in Fig. 1 often has a plurality of row
electrode pairs (X, Y) extending in the row direction and regularly
arranged in the column direction on a rear-facing face (i.e.
the face facing toward the rear of the PDP) of a front glass
substrate 1 serving as the display face of the PDP.
The row electrodes X and Y constituting each of the row
electrode pairs (X, Y) are respectively composed of transparent
electrodes Xa, Ya extending in a bar shape in the row direction,
and bus electrodes Xb, Yb connected to the transparent electrodes
Xa, Ya. The opposing transparent electrodes Xa and Ya have
discharge portions Xa1, Ya1 formed integrally in positions
regularly spaced along the confronting sides of the transparent
electrodes. The discharge portions Xa1 and Ya1 extend out from
the associated transparent electrodes toward their counterparts
to face each other across a discharge gap g.
A dielectric layer 2 is formed on the rear-facing face
of the front glass substrate 1 so as to cover the row electrode
pairs (X, Y), and has an MgO protective layers 3 formed on the
rear-facing face of the dielectric layer 2.
The front glass substrate 1 is parallel to a back glass
substrate 4 with a discharge space S in between. A plurality
of column electrodes D extends in the column direction and is
regularly arranged in the row direction on the front-facing face
(i.e. the face facing toward the front of the PDP) of the back
glass substrate 4. Each of the column electrodes D is formed
in a position confronting the discharge portions Xa1 and Ya1
of the row electrodes X and Y formed on the front glass substrate
1. Further, a plurality of partition walls 5 extends in the column
direction, each lying in an intermediate position between the
adjacent column electrodes D. The partition walls 5 are arranged
regularly in the row direction.
Red-, green-, and blue- colored phosphor layers 6R, 6G and
6B are formed on the portions of the face of the back glass substrate
4 lying between the partition walls 5 and on the side faces of
the partition walls 5 so as to be arranged in order in the row
direction.
The discharge space is filled with a discharge gas including
xenon (Xe).
The PDP has discharge cells formed in the discharge space
in positions each corresponding to the confronting discharge
portion Xa1 and Ya1 of the row electrodes X and Y across the
discharge gap g.
A conventional PDP of such a structure is disclosed in
Japanese Patent Laid-open publication 11-242933, for example.
As shown in Fig. 2, in the conventional PDP as described
hitherto, each of the phosphor layers 6R, 6G and 6B extends in
the column direction (the vertical direction in Fig. 2) in an
area lying between adjacent partition walls 5. Therefore, the
discharge cells C having the phosphor layers of the same color
are arranged in the column direction.
The three discharge cells C adjoining in the row direction,
namely, the three discharge cells of the three primary colors,
red, green and blue, provided by the phosphor layers 6R, 6G and
6B arranged in the row direction, form a pixel G.
In this connection, the human eye usually has the property
of a high sensitivity in the vertical direction and the horizontal
direction but a low sensitivity in an oblique direction.
For example, when a raster signal is input to the PDP for
displaying a single color from among the red, green and blue
colors, the light emission produced from the discharge cells
C having the phosphor layers 6R, 6G or 6B is only of the color
to be displayed (for example, the green discharge cells C). The
remaining discharge cells C with the phosphor layers of the
remaining colors (for example, the red and blue discharge cells
C) do not emit light. Thus, black bar-shaped lines are created
in the area in which the discharge cells emitting no light are
arranged in the column direction.
As a result, a conventional PDP has the problem of a low
spatial frequency for the human eye, in other words, it gives
the feeling that the picture quality of the image being displayed
is rough.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to solve the problem
associated with the surface-discharge-type alternating-current
PDPs as described above.
To attain this object, a plasma display panel apparatus
according to the present invention has unit light-emitting areas
arranged in matrix form in the row direction and the column
direction in a discharge space formed between a pair of parallel
opposing substrates, and phosphor layers of three primary colors,
red, green and blue, formed individually in the unit
light-emitting areas, in which the unit light-emitting area
having the red phosphor layer formed therein, the unit
light-emitting area having the green phosphor layer formed
therein and the unit light-emitting area having the blue phosphor
layer formed therein form a pixel. In this PDP, the adjacent
unit light-emitting areas in the column direction are assigned
the phosphor layers of different colors, and each of the pixels
consists of the three adj acent unit light-emitting areas arranged
in the row direction and respectively having the red phosphor
layer, the green phosphor layer and the blue phosphor layer formed
thereon, and the pixels are arranged in matrix form in the row
direction and the column direction.
An embodiment of the present invention can be described
by citing a PDP having the following structure. A discharge space
is formed between a front glass substrate having row electrode
pairs formed thereon and a back glass substrate having column
electrode formed thereon. The discharge space is partitioned
by a partition wall unit of an approximate grid shape made up
of vertical walls and the transverse walls to form discharge
cells arranged in matrix form. Phosphor layers to which the three
primary colors, red, green and blue, are applied individually
are provided in the respective discharge cells such that the
phosphor layers of different colors are provided in adjacent
discharge cells in the column direction. The three adjacent
discharge cells in the row direction respectively having the
red phosphor layer, the green phosphor layer and the blue phosphor
layer formed thereon form a single pixel. The pixels are arranged
in matrix form in the row direction and the column direction.
In the PDP according to the embodiment, the red, green
and blue phosphor layers are formed in the discharge cells arranged
in matrix form in the row direction and the column direction.
The phosphor layers of the same colors are not provided in the
discharge cells adjacent to each other in the column direction.
In the case when an image is displayed using a single-color raster
signal, for example, a conventional PDP emits light of the same
color in a stripe pattern extending in the column direction.
However, due to this arrangement, in the PDP according to the
present invention, light of the same color is emitted from
different points in adjacent display lines in the column
direction.
At such times, the discharge cells not emitting light lie
in the oblique direction. However, the visual sensitivity of
the human eye is lower in the oblique direction as compared with
the visual sensitivities in the vertical direction and the
horizontal direction. Therefore, the obtrusive presence of the
discharge cells not emitting light is made inconspicuous as
compared with the case where the light emission is not produced
from the discharge cells arranged in the vertical direction.
As a result, the PDP apparatus according to the embodiment is
capable of displaying an image having a high spatial frequency
enabling the viewers to perceive a picture with high definition.
These and other objects and features of the present
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of
the related art.
Fig. 2 is a front view illustrating a conventional
arrangement of phosphor layers.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a first embodiment
according to the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a front view illustrating an arrangement of
phosphor layers and pixel layout in the first embodiment.
Fig. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of
a drive unit in the first embodiment.
Fig. 6A is an explanatory diagram illustrating a switching
mode for an address data signal in the first embodiment.
Fig. 6B is an explanatory diagram illustrating another
switching mode for an address data signal in the first embodiment.
Fig. 6C is an explanatory diagram illustrating yet another
switchingmode for an address data signal in the first embodiment.
Fig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating a second embodiment
in the present invention.
Fig. 8 is a front view showing the shape of an R column
electrode in the second embodiment.
Fig. 9 is a front view showing the shape of a G column
electrode in the second embodiment.
Fig. 10 is a front view showing the shape of a B column
electrode in the second embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
First Embodiment
Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a first embodiment of a PDP according
to the present invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the
structure of the PDP when a front glass substrate and a back
glass substrate are separated from each other. Fig. 4 is a front
view showing the color arrangement of the phosphor layer formed
in the respective discharge cells of the PDP.
In Fig. 3, in the PDP, row electrode pairs (X1, Y1) and
a dielectric layer 11 and a protective layer 12 covering the
row electrode pairs (X1, Y1) are formed on the rear-facing face
of the front glass substrate 10. Column electrodes D1 and a
column-electrode protective layer 14 covering the column
electrodes D1 are formed on the back glass substrate 13. A
partition wall unit 15 is formed, on the column-electrode
protective layer 14, in an approximate grid shape made up of
the vertical walls 15A extending in the column direction and
transverse walls 15B extending in the row direction. The
partition wall unit 15 partitions the discharge space defined
between the front glass substrate 10 and the back glass substrate
13 into discharge cells C1.
Red (R) -, green (G) - and blue (B) -colored phosphor layers
16R, 16G and 16B each cover the face of the column-electrode
protective layer 14 and the sides of the two vertical walls 15A
and the two transverse walls 15B in each discharge cell C1 defined
by the partition wall 15. The phosphor layers 16R, 16G and 16B
are arranged in order in the row direction. A row of discharge
cells C1 with the phosphor layers 16R, 16G and 16B arranged in
the row direction forms each display line L.
The phosphor layers 16R, 16G and 16B are arranged such
that the phosphor layers of the same color are not positioned
in adjacent discharge cells C1 in the column direction (the
vertical direction in Fig. 4). Specifically, in the example shown
in Fig. 4, the phosphor layers of the same color are disposed
diagonally toward the column on the left from each display line
L to the lower display line L below it.
Consequently, in the example in Fig. 4, the red(R)-,
green (G) - and blue (B)-colored phosphor layers 16R, 16G and 16B
are also arranged in this order in the column direction.
In the PDP of the first embodiment, each pixel consists
of the three discharge cells C1 arranged in line in the row
direction as in the case of the conventional PDP. The pixels
are arranged in matrix form over the panel surface in the row
direction and the column direction. Because of the arrangement
of the phosphor layers 16R, 16G and 16B as described above, the
pixels G1, G2 and G3 are arranged in order from the top in the
column direction in Fig. 4, and have the color orders shifted
by one color in the row direction in the manner G1(R, G, B),
G2(G, B, R) and G3(B, R, G).
Adjacent phosphor layers 16R, 16G and 16B of different
colors arranged in the column direction as described above are
blocked from each other by the transverse walls 15B of the partition
wall unit 15, to thereby prevent mixing of the colors of the
adjacent phosphor layers in the column direction.
Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the drive unit of the PDP.
The drive unit 20 in Fig. 5 includes: an A/D converter
circuit 21 performingA/D conversion processing on an input analog
image signal; a gradation processing circuit 22 performing
gradation processing on the digital image signal supplied from
the A/D converter circuit 21 for conversion into digital data
of a mode (e.g. 8 bits) corresponding to brightness gradation
in each field in the subfield display; a frame memory circuit
23 receiving, from the gradation processing circuit 22, the
digital image signal having undergone degradation processing;
a pulse generator circuit 24 generating a control pulse signal
for the frame memory circuit 23, a column-electrode driver drive
signal, an X row-electrode driver drive signal, and a Y
row-electrode driver drive signal; an X row-electrode driver
25 connected to each of the row electrodes X1 of the PDP; a Y
row-electrode driver 26 connected to each of the row electrode
Y1; a column-electrode driver 27 connected to each of the column
electrodes D1; and further a data switching circuit 28 connected
between the frame memory circuit 23 and the column-electrode
driver 27.
Next, the method by which the drive unit controls the PDP
will be described.
In Fig. 5, first, the A/D converter circuit 21 performs
the A/D conversion processing on an input analog image signal
to generate a digital image signal.
Then, the degradation processing circuit 22 performs
predetermined degradation processing (e.g. the conversion
processing to 8-bit digital data or the like) on the digital
image signal supplied from the A/D converter circuit 21, and
then supplies the result to the frame memory circuit 23.
The frame memory circuit 23 extracts address data from
the digital image signal supplied from the gradation processing
circuit 22 on the basis of a control pulse signal supplied from
the pulse generator circuit 24, and sequentially reads and
supplies the extracted address data to the data switching circuit
28.
The data switching circuit 28 switches, in a predetermined
order, the address data signal supplied in synchronization with
the control pulse signal from the frame memory circuit 23, and
sends the result to the column electrode driver 27.
The switching operation for the address data signal in
the data switching circuit 28 will be described later.
The column-electrode driver 27 receives a column-electrode
driver drive signal outputted from the frame memory circuit 23.
The column-electrode driver 27 selectively applies a data pulse
to the column electrodes D11 to D1m each connected to the
column-electrode driver 27, on the basis of the column-electrode
driver drive signal and the address data signal sent from the
data switching circuit 28.
The X row-electrode driver 25 receives an X row-electrode
driver drive signal outputted from the frame memory circuit 23.
The X row-electrode driver 25 applies, in order, a discharge
sustain pulse to the row electrodes X11 to X1n each connected
to the X row-electrode driver 25 on the basis of the X row-electrode
driver drive signal.
The Y row-electrode driver 26 receives a Y row-electrode
driver drive signal outputted from the frame memory circuit 23.
The Y row-electrode driver 26 applies, in order, a scan pulse
and a discharge sustain pulse to the row electrodes Y11 to Y1n
each connected to the Y row-electrode driver 26 on the basis
of the Y row-electrode driver drive signal.
In each of the subfields into which the display period
of a field is divided by the subfield method, in the address
period for selecting the discharge cells C1 to produce a discharge
after the simultaneous reset period, the Y row-electrode driver
26 is driven to apply in sequence the scan pulse to the row
electrodes Y11 to Y1n. The column-electrode driver 27 selectively
applies the data pulse to the column electrodes D11 to D1m.
Thereupon, an address discharge is generated in the discharge
cells C1 corresponding to the intersections of the row electrodes
Y11 to Y1n to which the scan pulse is applied and the column
electrodes D11 to D1m to which the data pulse is applied.
The address discharge results in the deposition of wall
charges on the portions of the dielectric layer 11 facing the
respective discharge cell C1 in which the address discharge is
produced (or the erasure of the wall charge thereon).
Thus, the discharge cells C1 having the deposition of wall
charge (light-emitting cells) and the discharge cells C1 in which
the wall charge has been erased (non-light-emitting cells) are
distributed over the panel surface in accordance with the address
data signal of the image signal.
In the sustain discharge period following this, the X
row-electrode driver 25 is driven to apply in order a discharge
sustain pulse to the row electrodes X11 to X1n, while the Y
row-electrode driver 26 is also driven to apply inorder a discharge
sustain pulse to the row electrodes Y11 to Y1n.
Thereby, a sustain light-emission discharge is produced
between the paired row electrodes X1 and Y1 in the discharge
cells C1 which are the light-emitting cells. By means of the
sustain light-emission discharge, the phosphor layers 16R, 16G
and 16B provided in the discharge cells C1 emit color light,
thereby forming the image on the panel surface in accordance
with the image signal.
In the drive operation of the PDP drive unit as described
above, the data switching circuit 28 performs, in the address
period of a subfield, the switching of the order of R, G and
B described in the address data of the address data signal on
the three adjacent display lines L differing in order of
arrangement of the phosphor layers 16R, 16G and 16B from one
another. This switching operation is performed as follows.
Regarding the address data signal for the first display
line in which the pixels G1 with the color arrangement (R, G,
B) of the phosphor layers are arranged, the data switching circuit
28 passes the address data to the column electrode driver 27
without making any change in the address data describing the
order of colors, as shown in Fig. 6A.
Regarding the address data signal for the second display
line in which the pixels G2 with the color arrangement (G, B,
R) of the phosphor layers are arranged, the data switching circuit
28 switches the order R, G, B described in the address data of
the address data signal to a order G, B, R in correspondence
with the color arrangement of the phosphor layers in the pixel
G2 as shown in Fig. 6B, and then applies the resulting signal
to the column electrode driver 27.
Regarding the address data signal for the third display
line in which the pixels G3 with the color arrangement (B, R,
G) of the phosphor layers are arranged, the data switching circuit
28 switches the order R, G, B described in the address data of
the address data signal to a order B, R, G in correspondence
with the color arrangement of the phosphor layers in the pixel
G3 as shown in Fig. 6C, and then applies the resulting signal
to the column electrode driver 27.
In this manner, the PDP apparatus has the phosphor layers
16R, 16G and 16B formed in the discharge cells C1 arranged in
matrix form in the row direction and the column direction such
that the adjacent discharge cells C1 in the column direction
differs from each other in the color of the phosphor layer. The
data switching circuit 28 switches the order described in the
address data of the address data signal for selecting the discharge
cells C1 to allow for light emission to the order corresponding
to the order of the phosphor layers 16R, 16G and 16B formed in
the discharge cells C1 constituting a pixel. For example, when
an image is displayed using a single-color raster signal, a
conventional PDP emits light of the same color in a stripe pattern
extending in the column direction. However, in the PDP according
to the present invention, light of the same color is emitted
from different points in adjacent display lines in the column
direction.
The visual sensitivity of the human eye is lower in the
oblique direction as compared with the visual sensitivities in
the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. For this
reason, the presence of the discharge cells C1 from which light
is not emitted and which are arranged in the diagonal direction
is made inconspicuous as compared with the case where the discharge
cells C1 from which light is not emitted are arranged in the
vertical direction. As a result, the PDP apparatus according
to the embodiment is capable of displaying an image having a
high spatial frequency enabling the viewers to perceive a picture
with high definition.
In the foregoing PDP apparatus, what is required of the
arrangement of the phosphor layers 16R, 16G and 16B in the discharge
cells C1 is that discharge cells C1 of the same color should
not be adjacent to each other in adjacent display lines L in
the column direction. Therefore, the arrangement of the phosphor
layers is not limited to the example described in Fig. 4. For
example, the phosphor layers of the same color may be disposed
diagonally towards the column to the right from each display
line L to the lower display line L below it.
The foregoing has described the example of the data
switching circuit 28 connected between the frame memory circuit
23 and the column electrode driver 27. However, the connection
position of the data switching circuit 28 is not limited to this
example, and may be any position as long as the data switching
circuit 28 can switch the order described in the address data
of the address data signal, such as between the degradation
processing circuit 22 and the frame memory circuit 23, between
the column electrode driver 27 and the column electrodes D11 to
D1m.
Second Embodiment
Figs. 7 to 10 illustrate a second embodiment of a PDP
apparatus according to the invention.
The structure of the front glass substrate and the
components formed thereon (not shown) of the PDP apparatus in
the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment
illustrated in Fig. 3.
In Figs. 7 to 10, the PDP apparatus in the second embodiment
has used-for-R column electrodes DR (hereinafter referred to
as "R column electrodes DR") formed on a back glass substrate
13 and covered by a first column-electrode protective layer 31.
Used-for-G column electrodes DG (hereinafter referred to as "G
column electrodes DG") are formed on the first column-electrode
protective layer 31 and covered by a second column-electrode
protective layer 32. Used-for-B column electrodes DB
(hereinafter referred to as "B column electrodes DB") are formed
on the second column-electrode protective layer 32 and covered
by a third column-electrode protective layer 33.
The shapes of each R column electrode DR, each G column
electrode DG and each B column electrode DB are described in
detail later.
A substantially grid-shaped partition wall unit 35 having
vertical walls 35A extending in the column direction and
transverse walls 35B is formed on the third column-electrode
protective layer 33. Red(R)-, green(G)- and blue(B)-colored
phosphor layers 36R, 36G and 36B are formed in the discharge
cells C2 defined in matrix by the partition wall unit 35 and
arranged in order in the row direction.
The arrangement of the phosphor layer 36R, 36G and 35B
differs that in the first embodiment. As shown in Figs. 8 to
10, the phosphor layers of the same color are disposed diagonally
toward the column on the right hand from each display line to
the display line below it.
Each pixel consists of the three discharge cells C2 arranged
in the row direction. The pixels are arranged in matrix form
in the row direction and the column direction over the panel
surface. The pixels G11, G12 and G13 are arranged in order from
the top in the column direction, and have the color orders shifted
by one color in the row direction in the manner G11(R, G, B),
G12(B, R, G) and G13(G, B, R).
Adjacent the phosphor layers 36R, 36G and 36B of different
colors arranged in the column direction as described above are
blocked from each other by the transverse walls 35B of the partition
wall unit 35, to thereby prevent mixing of the colors of the
adjacent phosphor layers in the column direction.
A set of three column electrodes, the R column electrode
DR, the G column electrode DG and the B column electrode DB,
is provided for a line of the pixels G11, G12, G13, G11, G12,
G13 etc. arranged in the column direction.
The R column electrode DR is formed in a staggered shape
to face the discharge cells C2 with the respective red phosphor
layers 36R in the pixels G11, G12 and G13 arranged in line in
the column direction.
More specifically, as shown in Fig. 8, the R column electrode
DR first extends straight downward in the column direction in
a position facing the discharge cell C2 with the red phosphor
layer 36R positioned at the left end of the pixel G11. Then,
the R column electrode DR extends toward the right in the row
direction along the area facing the transverse wall 35B of the
partition wall unit 35, and then extends straight downward in
the column direction across the area facing the discharge cell
C2 with the red phosphor layer 36R positioned in the center of
the pixel G12. Following that, the R column electrode DR extends
toward the right in the row direction along the area facing the
transverse wall 35B of the partition wall unit 35, and then extends
straight downward in the column direction across the area facing
the discharge cell C2 with the red phosphor layer 36R positioned
at the right end of the pixel G13. Next, the R column electrode
DR extends toward the left in the row direction along the area
facing the transverse wall 35B of the partition wall unit 35.
In a repetition of the above process, the R column electrode
DR is staggered from the pixel G11 below the last pixel G13 to
face each of the discharge cells C2 in which the respective red
phosphor layers 36R are formed.
As in the case of the R column electrode DR, the G column
electrode DG is formed in the staggered shape to face the discharge
cells C2 with the respective green phosphor layers 36G in the
pixels G11, G12 and G13 arranged in line in the column direction.
More specifically, as shown in Fig. 9, the G column electrode
DG is staggered along the areas facing transverse walls 35B of
the partition wall unit 35 so as to face, in order, the discharge
cell C2 with the green phosphor layer 36G positioned in the center
of the pixel G11, the discharge cell C2 with the green phosphor
layer 36G positioned at the right end of the pixel G12, and then
the discharge cell C2 with the green phosphor layer 36G positioned
at the left end of the pixel G13.
As in the case of the R column electrode DR, the B column
electrode DB is formed in the staggered shape to face the discharge
cells C2 with the respective blue phosphor layers 36B in the
pixels G11, G12 and G13 arranged in line in the column direction.
More specifically, as shown in Fig. 10, the B column electrode
DB is staggered along the areas facing transverse walls 35B of
the partition wall unit 35 so as to face, in order, the discharge
cell C2 with the blue phosphor layer 36B positioned at the right
end of the pixel G11, the discharge cell C2 with the blue phosphor
layer 36B positioned at the left end of the pixel G12, and then
the discharge cell C2 with the blue phosphor layer 36B positioned
at the center of the pixel G13.
As in the case of the first embodiment, the PDP apparatus
in the second embodiment produces an address discharge between
the row electrodes formed on the front glass substrate by a data
pulse based on the address data signal applied to the R column
electrode DR, G column electrode DG and B column electrode DB,
resulting in color light emission from each of the pixels G11,
G12 and G13 in accordance with the address data.
As in the case of the first embodiment, the phosphor layers
36R, 36G and 36B are individually formed in the discharge cells
C2 arranged in matrix form in the row direction and the column
direction such that the adjacent discharge cells C2 in the column
direction differs from each other in the color of the phosphor
layer. Thereby, for example, when an image is displayed using
a single-color raster signal, a conventional PDP emits light
of the same color in a stripe pattern extending in the column
direction. However, in the PDP according to the present invention,
light of the same color is emitted fromdi fferent points in adj acent
display lines in the column direction.
The visual sensitivity of the human eye is lower in the
diagonal direction as compared with the visual sensitivities
in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. For this
reason, the presence of the discharge cells C2 from which light
is not emitted and which are arranged in the diagonal direction
is made inconspicuous as compared with *the case where the discharge
cells C2 form which light is not emitted are arranged in the
vertical direction. As a result, it is possible for the PDP
apparatus according to the embodiment to display an image having
a high spatial frequency enabling the viewers to perceive a picture
with high definition.
In the PDP apparatus of the second embodiment, the
used-for-R column electrode DR, the used-for-G column electrode
DG and the used-for-B column electrode DB are provided for each
color of the phosphor layers 36R, 36G and 36B formed in the
discharge cells C2 . Accordingly, the PDP apparatus of the second
embodiment has no need to provide a data switching circuit or
the like for switching the address data signal in the drive unit
of the PDP as provided in the first embodiment, thus simplifying
the structure of the drive unit as compared with the PDP apparatus
in the first embodiment.
In the foregoing PDP apparatus, what is required of the
arrangement of the phosphor layers 36R, 36G and 36B in the discharge
cells C2 is that the discharge cells C2 of the same color should
not be adjacent to each other in adjacent display lines L in
the column direction. Therefore, the arrangement of the phosphor
layers is not limited to the example described in the second
embodiment. For example, the phosphor layers of the same color
may be disposed diagonally toward the column on the left from
each display line L to the lower display line L below it.
Further, the order of forming the R column electrode DR,
the G column electrode DG and the B column electrode DB is not
limited to the examples described in the second embodiment, and
they can be formed in an any given order.